According to the latest RICS Commercial Property Monitor, occupier and investment sentiment remains positive across main CEE markets, even though the Czech Republic has posted its most subdued set of readings in four years. In many countries, demand for retail assets fell on both the occupier and investment sides of the market. Based on rental and capital value projections, secondary retail is visibly suffering in Austria, Bulgaria, Poland and Romania.

There’s a lot of capital targeting real estate in Central & Eastern Europe but finding the right investment product remains a huge challenge. Panellists of the CEE investment panel at Portfolio Property Investment Forum 2019 in Budapest discussed the risks investors in the region need to keep in mind.

The construction of Millennium Gardens, TriGranit’s newest office development in Budapest, has reached the ground floor level. Situated in a well-known cultural neighbourhood next to a green promenade by the Danube in Budapest, the 37,000 sqm GLA development will be handed over in Q2 2021.

HGA Capital, a member of the CARISTO Management Group, has sold the Oktogon House office building in central Budapest to a company belonging to RIMO Holding AG. The transaction price has not been disclosed.

Hungarian investors Indotek Group plans to buy the 5-star Sofitel hotel in the centre of Budapest, according to hvg.hu. The transaction still requires the approval of the Hungarian Competition Authority.

Adventum International, a Malta-based boutique investment fund manager, has acquired the 66,000 sqm GLA Köki Terminal shopping centre in Budapest for its Adventum Quartum investment fund.

CTP has significantly expanded its portfolio both across the region and in Hungary in recent years. In response to brisk local demand, the company plans to prepare speculative developments of premium industrial space totalling 150,000 sqm in the Hungarian market in 2020. These projects will affect nearly all the industrial parks of local CTP.

Multi Hungary announced its extensive refurbishment plans for Allee shopping centre in Buda, in the most densely populated district of Budapest. Multi will upgrade and renovate the 46,700 sqm shopping centre, while enhancing the tenant mix, interior and exterior design and customer services. Multi will start the execution phase in the second quarter of 2020 and expects to complete most of the work still in 2020.

Hungarian residential developer Cordia  has carried out a successful bond issue on 5 November (Cordia 2026/I). The financial settlement date is 7 November 2019, the maturity is 7 November 2026. The offered volume was HUF 40 billion at face value which attracted HUF 53.55 billion in bids. The amount of funds raised is HUF 44.4 billion.

Prologis has started the construction of a new, state-of-the-art speculative facility totalling 14,000 square meters at Prologis Park Budapest-Harbor to provide further sustainable space. Scheduled for completion in Q2 2020, the new building will even have its own motorway access.